Bystander Recognizes Officer Run Over By DUI Suspect — It’s Her Father! [Video]
Imagine you’re a bystander who happens across an officer who was just run over by a DUI suspect. From a distance, the man looks somewhat familiar, and then when you squeeze through the crowd of onlookers, you realize why — it’s because the victim is your father.
This horrible scenario sounds like something out of a movie, but it happened to in Gulf Breeze, Florida on Monday. The hit-and-run incident was captured on the dashcam of Gulf Breeze Sgt. Kerstan Tatro, and has since gone viral.
WARNING: The video below contains raw accident footage which may be upsetting to some viewers. If you find such incidents to be triggering, please do not watch the video.
At about 2 p.m., Tantro stopped a car that he noticed was driving erratically near the south end of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. The driver, Amy Lee Giorgio, was initially cooperative. That is, until the officer asked her to perform a field sobriety test.
At that point, Officer Tatro noted that she was moving to put her car in gear and drive away. The officer tried to stop the woman, but she sped away with his arm still inside the vehicle! Tatro was violently tossed aside and was soon lying on the pavement in agony.
He informed the radio dispatcher that he was run over by the 30-year-old DUI suspect. Kerstan also mentions that his arm was broken during the accident. Fortunately for the injured officer, there were several witnesses nearby who immediately stopped their vehicles to rush to his aid.
Within moments, drivers surrounded Kerstan Tatro and offered emotional support while trying to learn what happened.
Later in the video, a young woman walks over and becomes immediately distressed. It turns out that Tatro’s teenage daughter happened upon the scene by chance; Kerstan said he remembered wondering how and why she was there.
Sgt Kerstan Tatro: "My spirit's not broken. My faith in God and people is still very strong." http://t.co/BDvqtI8jDX pic.twitter.com/MN9W0AChvW
— pnj.com (@pnj) January 8, 2015
Kerstan Tatro was taken to a local hospital, where Gulf Breeze Chief of Police Robert Randle said he received treatment for his injuries, none of which were life-threatening. Deputy Chief Rick Hawthorne told Fox10TV that the officer is expected to make a full recovery.
“He’s going to be in the hospital for several days due to the break in the arm just making sure no infection or anything occurs,” Hawthorne said. “But he’s moving around and is doing good.”
As for Amy Lee Giorgio, she was detained by authorities and taken into police custody a short time after the incident. A motorist who witnessed the accident called 911 and followed Amy Lee to the Crowne Plaza Pensacola Grande Hotel.
Giorgio reportedly had two active warrants in two Florida counties, and had been arrested in the past for a number of drug-related offenses.
[Image Credit: Ineedhelp2811]
